We’ve all heard the tale — Rottweilers, the drover dogs and loyal protectors of Roman legions. By now, you’ve probably read about it a hundred times (or maybe a million!). Yet, the true origins of this majestic breed remain shrouded in mystery. Most agree they likely descended from Roman molossers — ancient mastiff-type dogs that journeyed with soldiers across continents.
Named after the German town of Rottweil, these black-and-tan butchers’ dogs, or Rottweiler Metzgerhund, have played a role in shaping several modern breeds. With connections to mastiffs, Saint Bernards, and even Dobermans, the Rottweiler’s legacy is as powerful as its appearance.
Today, we’re not here to decode ancient history. Instead, let’s explore the dog breeds that share the Rottweiler’s bold looks and commanding presence. Get ready to meet these remarkable Rottie lookalikes!
Dog Breeds That Look Like Rottweilers
1. Doberman Pinscher
The protective nature of the Doberman is a hallmark of this German breed; these pooches were developed to be guard dogs and sentries of the night. The credit for developing these black and tan pooches goes to Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann, who was a tax collector, night watch, dog catcher, and manager of the Apolda dog pound in Thuringia (modern-day Germany).
Orvis confirms it is specuated that he used a black and tan butcher’s dog breed similar to rottweiler or the rottweiler itself, the german pinscher, weiramaraner, a local sheepdog and the greyhound to develop this pup who is brimming with life, master of agility, symbol of grace and strength, and the ultimate protector of men.
The Doberman is a sleek and sweet version of the daunting Rottweiler dogs because the Doberman Pinschers have the same height as Rottweilers but is leaner and more athletic. Moreover, neither Doberman Pinschers nor Rottweilers were bred as guard dogs, and the Doberman is often considered a Rottweiler look-alike.
Even if you have no clue about the connection between rotties and dobermans, they still have the same vibe and majestic aura. Amusingly enough, the rottweilers are known to be dangerous dogs, and the Dobermanns are the famous mean dogs on the planet that are often seen in movies where some rich men or mob bosses use them as guard dogs and protectors.
2. Hovawart
You might have never heard about this dog breed, because it’s quite a new pup on the block. Hovawarts have the dark colorings of the rottweilers but have the temperament of the golden retriever. These pooches are known for their sweet and gentle temperament. These medium to large-sized working dogs originated in the Black Forest region of Southwestern Germany.
Omlet says this German pup was originally bred to be a guard dog for the local nobility and their property in the Middle Ages. Moreover, these ancient pups were first documented in the 1200s when the Ordensritterburg Castle was invaded by Slavic invaders.
These pups are either available in solid black or in black and tan coats that make them resemble the rottweilers. The German shepherds took over the torch of guarding and working from this pup, and they almost disappeared at the beginning of the 20th Century.
These pooches, whose name translates to Hova=farm and wart=watcher, are gentle giants and preservers of human beings who are wonderful search and rescue dogs, and incredible tracking and working dogs with a tall stature and height of 23 to 29 inches and weighing between 55 to 110 pounds.
3. Manchester Terrier
You can clearly guess where this mini yet mighty ratter originated from by looking at its name. The Manchester terriers share the genetic profile with the miniature pinschers and are incredibly sturdy dogs despite being a smaller breed.
The smaller yet identical pups have the same coat colors and similar markings to the rottweiler. The Manchester Terriers and Rottweilers are affectionate and playful doggos.
PDSA states these powerful dogs are intelligent, quick learners, have extremely high energy levels and need physical exercise and mental stimulation quite consistently, and are quite family-oriented dogs. These pooches are quite lightweight dogs with 12-22 pounds of body mass and stand at a height of 15-16 inches.
They pooches have naturally erect batman-like button ears, which give them a daunting look and smart hunting champions of vermin, especially rats. These unique dogs made an appearance in the 19th century in Manchester and are known for being sleek, racy dogs that have the graceful contours of coursing hounds and the hunting instinct of the terriers.
Just to make you aware, training this pooch requires patience and persistence, a lot of positive reinforcement and reward-based methods work the best, along with early socialization and creative physical and mental stimulation, is the best way to raise well-behaved pooches.
4. Boerboel
Do you know this pup can even take down a lion or hyena all on its own? These South African mastiffs are daunting and powerful. They were developed by the ancient African and Assyrian dog breeds and strategic and careful crossbreeding of foreign breeds like the mastiff and bulldogs to develop a majestic farm dog or working dog that has ample strength, loyalty, and strong protective instincts.
These boerboels were developed by Dutch settlers who needed a sturdy companion with a stocky and muscular build to traverse through the challenging and harsh terrain of South Africa.
The Boerboels are extremely powerful and rugged dogs, that are also versatile pooches who are known to be prized and protected canine species by the South African Boerboels Breeders Society (SABBS) this is the only organization legally authorized to officially register Boerboels and is responsible for the standards that govern identification, recording, evaluation and improvement of the breed.
Boerboels match the rottweilers in strength, muscular body, and stern demeanor, along with a similar appearance and temperament, causing both boerboels and rottweilers to be calm, composed, and confident protectors and herd livestock with care and affection.
They both are intelligent and good-natured pups who need constant mental and physical stimulation, whether it be in the form of exercise or in a playful family activity.
5. Cane Corso
Cane Corsos have a similar body shape to Rottweilers and are known for their protective instincts. The cane corso is an Italian breed that also has connections with the Roman molossers, which is the unified ancestor of both the rottweilers and the cane corso. These dogs are similar to Rottweilers because of their muscular build, protective nature, and fierce loyalty.
PetMD explains these pooches were originally bred to be hunting dogs and war dogs that were used in breaking enemy lines and hunting large game like wild boar, bears, or deer. However, nowadays the cane corso makes an exceptional guardian that holds a confident and fearless vigil to protect the inhabitants of their territory.
They are good pups to keep as a night’s watch and prove to be fiercely loyal and affectionate towards their owners. However, these pooches don’t share a similar coat colour, weight, or stature to the rottweilers.
They are shorter, wrinkly pups and stand at a height of 23.5 to 27.5 inches at the shoulder and have a weight of 80 to 120 pounds. They are longer horizontally rather than being taller.
6. Boxer
Boxers share loyalty and protective instincts with Rottweilers. These descendants of the bulldogs and the bullenbeisser are incredibly sturdy pooches that don’t have a similar coat color or similar markings like the rottweiler, but are pretty identical in their temperament and nature to the rotties.
Pawlicy Advisor states that these medium-sized muscular breeds have proven their mettle by showing their versatility in their working patterns and career choices, from lending their energy and time to the military forces, to their role in police K-9 units. These pups are noble and inspirational. This working dog is fast on his feet and can give equal competition to even the big dogs.
These pooches are affectionate companions for the family and fierce protectors for loved ones and kids. These naturally sparring German boxers have a single short coat and are quite loving and gentle giants. These boxers don’t just have physical strength and endurance, which helps them in the working field.
But they are also mentally tough pooches who always have a keen sense and perception of what is going around them and are also quick at learning cues and prove experts at basic obedience when positively handled with patience and given adequate training.
7. Tibetan Mastiff
There was a weird and shocking theory stated by some dog enthusiasts and historians that if you remove the fluffy mane of the Tibetan mastiff, it actually looks like a rottweiler.
Moreover, the Alpine Mastiffs, which are now extinct ancestors of the Saint Bernard, also have links to the Roman Molossus, which is a common name that has made an appearance in the origin and history of both these Rottweilers and Saint Bernards.
The Continental Kennel Club says Tibetan Mastiffs are larger than Rottweilers and are reserved with strangers but loving with family. These pooches originated in the high-altitude region of the Himalayan Ranges and are revered and venerated by the Tibetan monks for their protective nature and vigilant stance. They stand at a height of 26 inches at the shoulder and weigh between 90 to 150 pounds.
The Tibetan mastiff is a big dog that has a lion-like mane or a furry cloak that covers their head and ears from extremely cold climates. These pooches are quite humongous beasts and are also one of the most expensive pups in the world. Their guarding instincts and majestic muscular build make them the most exotic pup around the planet.
Although the origins of the Tibetan Mastiffs are quite vague and unclear, they are said to have originated from some breed of Asian Mastiffs and have black and tan colored markings similar of rottweilers, which further thickens the plot of rottweilers’ existence and its mysterious roots.
Conclusion
The rottweilers have given a bulk load of energy and protection to humans for centuries. Rottweilers are deeply loyal and protective, forming close attachments to their families. However, their connection and genetic links to the Alpine mastiff and the Epirus mastiff make them intriguing pooches.
Their ancestors have probably roamed around from Tibet in Asia to ancient Greece, then Rome, and then reached Rottweil by travelling the Swiss Alps. And have possibly even traversed through the area border of modern Italy and Switzerland, called the Saint Bernard pass. All the geographical locations and dots align perfectly when we start by connecting the Rottweiler to the Tibetan Mastiff.
But it is a possibility that these pooches also share heritage with the other dogs or breeds like the Beaucerons, who are intelligent dogs that have an uncanny resemblance to Rottweilers in appearance and characteristics. However, all these pooches make excellent guard dogs and are the pride and joy of every family and Pet parent.
